Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-20

still.
Iris took his hand in hers with Q
gesture Of tenderness which robbed
the act Of all suspicion of nnwomanly
forwardness. Then she began TO speak
TO him in low, soft voice TO comfort
him, to soothe him, to ten him that
nobody would ever believe il about
him, till Harry Burbury himself began
half to fancy that his sensitive nature
had exaggerated the evil. How long
they set there whispering together
it would be hard TO say. When
lovers once take to whispering
the conversation may readily pro-
long itself for an indefinite period.
So at least Mrs. Brandreth appeared
to think, for at the end of quiet hour
or SO her sense of propriety overcame
her sympathy with Iris, and she went
down to join the young couple in the
front drawing-room. II gives me great
pain to add, however, that she stood for
q moment and rustled about few
magazines and papers on the land
ing-table, very prudently, before ac-
tually turning the handle of the
drawing-room door. This is precau-
ton too frequently neglected in such
cases by the matter-of-fact and the I'M
wary, but one whose breach / have
often known TO produce considerable
inconvenience TO the persons con-
cerned.
When Mrs. Brandreth at last entered
she found Iris, as girls are usually
found on similar occasions, seated by
herself bolt upright on a very stiff
backed chair at the far end of the
room, while Harry Burbury was play
ing nervously with the end Of his nous
tache on theopposite side of the centre
ottoman. Snch phenomenal distance
spoke more eloquently to Mrs. Brand
reth's psychological acumen than any
degree Of propinquity could possibly
have done. "They must have been
very confidential with one another"
Mrs. Brandreth thought to herself
wisely. give no doubt they've set
tied the matter by themselves of-hand,
without even thinking the least in the
world about dear Arthur"
Mamma" Iris said timidly, but
quite simply, as her mother stood half
hesitating beside her, "Harry and |
have been talking this matter over, and
at first Harry wanted to leave England,
but I've been saying to him that some
body must have taken the money, and
the best thing he can do is to stop here
and try to find out who really
took it. And he's going to do
so. And for the present." Iris empha-
sized the words very markedly, "we're
not to be engaged at all to one another
but, by ard by, When Harry has clear
ed his reputation" and here Iris broke
off suddenly, becoming blush doing
duty admirably for the principal verb
in the unfinished sentence. CThis figure
of speech is known to grammarians as an
aposiopesis. The name is for the most
part unknown to young ladies, but the
figure itself is largely employed by them
with great effect in ordinary CONVERSE
tom
Mrs. Brandreth smiled a faint and
placid smile. "My dear Iris, she
said, "what would your papa say if he
only heard you talk like that ?" And
feeling now quite compromised as one
of the wicked conspirators, the good
lady sat down and heard it all out, the
house thereupon Immediately resolving
itself into q committee OF ways and
means.
1t was very late, indeed, when Mrs
Brandreth, looking at her watch, ex-
claimed in some Surprise that she real
ly wondered dear Arthur hadn't come
home ages ago.
At the unexpected mention of the
Bishop, Harry Burbury, who had run
up to town honestly intending to see
him and renounce his daughter, but
had allowed himself to be diverted by
circumstances into another channel,
rose abruptly to take his departure.
1t occurred to him at once that 2 o'clock
in the morning is not perhaps the best
possible time at which TO face a very
irate and right reverend father. Be
sides. how on earth could he satisfac-
torily explain his presence in the Bish-
ops own hired house at that pecu-
liarly unreasonable hour?
AS for Mrs. Brandreth, now fairly
embarked on that terrible downward
path of the committed conspirator, she
whispered to Iris as William fastened
the big front door behind Captain bur
burv. "Perhaps. dear, 1t might be
onitc as well not to mention just at
present to your papa that Hsrry"-yes,
She actually called him Harry =" has
been to see you here this evening. And
il we were to 90 to bed ut once, you
know, and get our lights out quickly,
before your papa comes home IRON the
House, it might perhaps be all the bet
ter "
To such depths of frightful duplicitty
does the downward path, once embark
ed in. rapidly conduct even an origin
ally richt-mfnded clerical lady
Meanwhile the Bishop, sitting with
several of his episcopal brethren in the
peers' gallery at the House of Com
mons, forgot all about the lapse OF time
in his burning indignation at the meta
rious proposals of the honorable gen
tleman from that revolutionary CHA
morcanshire. 1t was a field-night for
the Disestablishers and Disendowers,
and there seemed no chance, humanity
speaking, that the debate would be ter
minated within any reasonable or mode
rate period. At last, about quarter
to 9. the Bishop took his watch casu'
allv from his pocket. "Bless my
sonal!" he cried in surprise to his right
reverend companion, 81 must really
he going. hadn't the least idea tbs
time had gone so fast. Mrs. Brandretl
will positively be wondering what has
become of me"
There were several cabs outside the
house. but it was fair, clear, Star-ii
night. and the Bishop on the whole
being chilly with horror, preferred
walking. 1t would stretch his episcoo
ual legs o little, after such a long spell
of sitting, to walk from Whitehall
down to Eaton Place. So he walked
ON along the silent streets till he cam'
10 the corner of ST. Peters church; :,
Then an awful thought suddenly
dashed across his bewildered mind
Which house did he actually live in !?
Yes. yes. 1t was too true. de ha'
forgotten to notice or to ask the mum
Der ,,
II the Bishop had been little mo
n man OF the world he would no douD